Valentine’s Day, celebrated annually on February 14th, is a day dedicated to love, romance, and affection. While it is widely known for the exchange of cards, flowers, and gifts between lovers, its origins are rooted in both ancient history and Christian tradition. Over time, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a global celebration that transcends romantic love, embracing expressions of affection among family members, friends, and even colleagues.
Historical Origins
The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated in mid-February. This pagan festival was associated with fertility and the coming of spring. During Lupercalia, Roman priests, known as Luperci, would perform rituals to promote fertility and purify the city. One of the customs involved a lottery in which young men drew the names of women from a jar, pairing them for the duration of the festival, often resulting in romantic relationships. The festival also included the sacrifice of goats and dogs, with their hides used to gently slap women, believing this would make them more fertile in the coming year.
As Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, the church sought to replace pagan festivals with Christian holidays. Valentine’s Day is believed to have been established to honor Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr. However, there is some ambiguity about which Saint Valentine the day commemorates, as there were multiple martyrs by that name. The most popular legend suggests that Saint Valentine was a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriages for young men-believing that single men made better soldiers-and secretly performed weddings. When his actions were discovered, Valentine was imprisoned and later executed on February 14th. It is also said that Saint Valentine wore a ring with a cupid symbol, a recognizable sign of love, which helped soldiers identify him.
Another legend claims that while in prison, Saint Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and sent her a note signed “from your Valentine,” a phrase that is still widely used today. Some versions of the story suggest that his miraculous healing of the jailer’s blind daughter contributed to his sainthood.
The Evolution of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day began to take on a more romantic connotation during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and France. It was commonly believed that February 14th marked the beginning of birds’ mating season, adding to the idea that the day should be one of romance. The poet Geoffrey Chaucer is often credited with linking Valentine’s Day to romantic love in his 14th-century poem “Parliament of Fowls,” which describes a gathering of birds on Saint Valentine’s Day to choose their mates. This literary association helped cement the day’s connection to love and courtship.
By the 18th century, it had become customary in England for friends and lovers to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. The practice eventually spread to other parts of the world, and by the 19th century, printed Valentine’s cards became popular, thanks to advances in printing technology and the reduction of postal rates, known as the “Penny Post.” The commercialization of Valentine’s Day continued into the 20th and 21st centuries, with the holiday becoming a major economic event driven by the sale of cards, flowers, chocolates, and jewelry. Today, Valentine’s Day ranks as one of the most commercially successful holidays, with billions of dollars spent annually on gifts and celebrations.
Modern Celebrations Around the World
Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in various ways across the globe, reflecting different cultural traditions and customs:
– United States and Canada: Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated with the exchange of cards, flowers (especially red roses), chocolates, and romantic dinners. Schools often host classroom parties where children exchange Valentine’s cards and candies. In addition to romantic relationships, it is common for friends and family members to exchange tokens of appreciation.
– United Kingdom: Similar to North America, people in the UK exchange cards, flowers, and gifts. Some regions maintain unique traditions, such as “Jack Valentine,” a mysterious figure who leaves gifts for children. In Wales, people celebrate “Dydd Santes Dwynwen” on January 25th, honoring the Welsh patron saint of lovers.
– Japan: Valentine’s Day has a unique twist, with women giving chocolates to men. There are two types of chocolates: “giri-choco” (obligation chocolate) for colleagues and acquaintances, and “honmei-choco” (true feeling chocolate) for romantic interests. A month later, on March 14th, men reciprocate with gifts on White Day, often giving white chocolate, jewelry, or lingerie.
– South Korea: Similar to Japan, women give chocolates on Valentine’s Day, and men reciprocate on White Day. Additionally, South Koreans celebrate “Black Day” on April 14th, where singles gather to eat black noodles, known as “jajangmyeon,” and commiserate over their single status. The country also observes “Pepero Day” on November 11th, where people exchange cookie sticks as a token of affection.
– Italy: Traditionally, Valentine’s Day was celebrated as the Spring Festival, with couples gathering outdoors to enjoy poetry readings and music. Today, Italians exchange gifts, and “locks of love”-padlocks attached to bridges and railings-have become a popular symbol of enduring affection. The key is often thrown into the river below as a sign of unbreakable love.
– Brazil: Instead of February 14th, Brazilians celebrate “Dia dos Namorados” (Lovers’ Day) on June 12th, coinciding with Saint Anthony’s Day, the patron saint of marriage. The holiday is marked with festivals, music, and the exchange of gifts, including personalized items and handmade crafts.
– France: Known as one of the most romantic countries in the world, France celebrates Valentine’s Day with the exchange of cards and flowers. The village of Saint-Valentin, in particular, becomes a hub for romantic celebrations, hosting festivals, vow renewal ceremonies, and decorating the town with flowers and hearts.
Symbols and Traditions
Valentine’s Day is rich with symbols that have become synonymous with love and romance:
– Hearts: The heart, often depicted in red or pink, symbolizes love and affection. The shape is thought to have originated from the ivy leaf or the seed of the silphium plant, which was used as a contraceptive in ancient times.
– Cupid: The Roman god of love, Cupid is often illustrated as a cherubic figure with a bow and arrow, representing the idea of being struck by love. His Greek counterpart, Eros, was depicted as a handsome young man.
– Roses: Red roses, in particular, are associated with deep love and passion. The flower’s connection to love dates back to ancient Rome, where roses were linked to Venus, the goddess of love.
– Doves: Symbolizing peace and fidelity, doves are often linked to romantic love. They are known to mate for life, making them a fitting emblem of enduring affection.
– Valentine’s Cards: The tradition of sending Valentine’s cards dates back to the 15th century, with the oldest known Valentine’s message written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Tag: Valentines Day
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Valentine’s Day
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Valentine’s Day: Annual festival to celebrate romance, love, friendship and admiration
Valentine’s Day falls on February 14. This year, the day will be observed on Wednesday. On this day lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I forbid the celebration of Lupercalia and is sometimes attributed with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century.
Across the globe, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.
But who is this mysterious saint and where did these traditions come from?
The Legend of St. Valentine
Where did Valentine’s Day originate from? The history of the holiday—and the story of its patron saint—is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl—possibly his jailor’s daughter—who visited him during his confinement.
Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and—most importantly—romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.
Origins of Valentine’s Day
While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial—which probably occurred around A.D. 270—others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.
A Day of Romance and Love
Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity but was outlawed—as it was deemed “un-Christian”—at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love.
During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
Who Is Cupid?
Cupid is often portrayed on Valentine’s Day cards as a naked cherub launching arrows of love at unsuspecting lovers. But the Roman God Cupid has his roots in Greek mythology as the Greek god of love, Eros. Accounts of his birth vary; some say he is the son of Nyx and Erebus; others, of Aphrodite and Ares; still others suggest he is the son of Iris and Zephyrus or even Aphrodite and Zeus (who would have been both his father and grandfather).
According to the Greek Archaic poets, Eros was a handsome immortal played with the emotions of Gods and men, using golden arrows to incite love and leaden ones to sow aversion. It wasn’t until the Hellenistic period that he began to be portrayed as the mischievous, chubby child he’d become on Valentine’s Day cards.
Greetings and Gifts
In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century.
By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.
Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap.” Today, according to Hallmark, an estimated 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year.
Valentine’s Week
While Valentine’s Day falls on February 14, the excitement for the month of love begins in the week before. There are seven days dedicated to celebration of love before Valentine’s Day. It starts from February 7. These seven days of love are Rose Day (February 7), Propose Day (February 8), Chocolate Day (February 9), Teddy Day (February 10), Promise Day (February 11), Hug Day (February 12), and Kiss Day (February 13).
Rose Day
Rose Day falls on February 7 annually. It is the first day of the Valentine’s Week. On this day, couples exchange roses or send a bouquet to their loved ones. People also gift someone they like or adore with flowers to mark this occasion. While people generally gift their partners roses on this day, it shouldn’t stop you from surprising your love with a bouquet of their favourite flowers. Different colours of roses hold a special meaning on this day. For instance, red signifies love, yellow stands for friendship, pink signifies appreciation and admiration, and more.
Propose Day
Propose Day is the second day of Valentine’s Week. It falls on February 8. As the name suggests, it is the day for people to confess their feelings or pop the big question to their love interest – you can ask a potential partner to be your partner or to marry you. However, you should confirm that your partner wants you to ask this question before jumping the gun and putting them in an awkward position.
Chocolate Day
Chocolate Day is the third day and falls after Propose Day on February 9. On this day, people gift chocolates to their partner, crush or love interest. Some also prepare handmade chocolates or make an assortment of their partner’s favourite candies as a gift. In case, your loved one doesn’t like sweets, you can give them their favourite snack as a present.
Teddy Day
Teddy falls on February 10. It is the fourth day of the Valentine’s Week. People in love surprise their partners on this day by gifting them with adorable plushies or teddy bears. It is believed that a cuddly toy would help your partner destress or forget their worries as the present will remind them of your love.
Promise Day
Promise Day falls on February 11. It is the fifth day of the Valentine’s Week. On Promise Day, people make promises to love and cherish each other through thick and thin, strengthen their bond, be a cheerleader, and give support in difficult situations. This promise or commitment helps them show their partner the intensity of their love for them.
Hug Day
Hug Day is the sixth day of Valentine’s Week and falls on February 12. A hug is a comforting gesture, and when one receives it from their loved ones, it helps remove all worries from their mind. After all, physical affection works wonders when language fails to express our true feelings. Therefore, on Hug Day, partners hug each other to comfort each other and promise to be the light in each other’s darkest days.
Kiss Day
Kiss Day is celebrated a day before Valentine’s Day. It falls on February 13. People in love seal their relationship with a kiss on this day or show affection for their partner with this act of love. -
Love in the Land of Contradictions: Valentine’s Day and the Paradox of Hindu Fundamentalism
In recent times, India has witnessed a perplexing phenomenon where certain Hindu groups, often described as militant, vehemently oppose the celebration of Valentine’s Day. This opposition is rooted in the claim that the celebration is an alien import conflicting with Indian values. Shockingly, this opposition has escalated to physical assaults on young men and women expressing their love on Valentine’s Day. In a country where ancient temples like Khajuraho proudly depict explicit sexual scenes in stone carvings and where the Kama Shastra, the guide to sexual pleasure, originated, the contradiction between the celebration of love and the rise of conservative sentiments is glaring.
India has a rich cultural and historical heritage that celebrates love in various forms. The temples of Khajuraho, dating back to the medieval period, boast intricate carvings that boldly depict scenes of lovemaking and sensuality. These sculptures are a testament to the acceptance of love and the human experience in ancient Indian society. Additionally, the Kama Sutra, an ancient Sanskrit text, serves as a guide to the art of love and sexual pleasure, highlighting the acknowledgment of the natural and intimate aspects of human relationships.
Given this historical backdrop, the opposition to the celebration of Valentine’s Day by certain Hindu groups appears paradoxical. Love, in all its forms, is deeply embedded in India’s cultural roots. It is baffling to witness a mindset that deems the expression of love on Valentine’s Day as contrary to Indian values. Love, after all, is a universal emotion that transcends cultural boundaries.The growing opposition to Valentine’s Day reflects a broader trend of Hindu fundamentalism gaining prominence in India. This mindset, characterized by a rigid interpretation of Hindu values, tends to reject any cultural influence perceived as foreign. The clash between this fundamentalism and the liberal ethos of a majority of the population is becoming increasingly evident.
The rise of Hindu fundamentalism poses a threat to the rational thinking and open-mindedness that have been central to India’s progress. The assault on individuals celebrating Valentine’s Day is not just an attack on a particular celebration but reflects a broader attempt to curtail personal freedoms and dictate cultural norms. If left unchecked, this trend could push India back into a regressive medievalism, stifling individual expression and diversity.
To maintain a harmonious and progressive society, it is crucial for India to embrace diversity and promote tolerance. Love, in all its expressions, should be celebrated rather than condemned. The country’s historical openness to various facets of human experience, as evident in Khajuraho and the Kama Sutra, should serve as a reminder of the acceptance that has been an integral part of India’s cultural fabric.
India’s strength lies in its pluralistic identity, where various cultures, traditions, and beliefs coexist. The current wave of opposition to Valentine’s Day threatens to erode this rich tapestry. It is essential for the majority of the population, which values liberal thinking, to resist the encroachment of fundamentalist ideologies and preserve the essence of India’s inclusive heritage
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Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day, also called St. Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I forbid the celebration of Lupercalia and is sometimes attributed with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Monday, February 14, 2022.
Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus. According to legend, the priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saints were actually one person. Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.
Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used. The first commercial valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s. Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birds also became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love.
What Do People Do?
Many people around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing appreciation for the people they love or adore. Some people take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant while others may choose this day to propose or get married. Many people give greeting cards, chocolates, jewelry or flowers, particularly roses, to their partners or admirers on Valentine’s Day.
It is also a time to appreciate friends in some social circles and cultures. For example, Valentine’s Day in Finland refers to “Friend’s day”, which is more about remembering all friends rather than focusing solely on romance. Valentine’s Day in Guatemala is known as Day of Love and Friendship). It is similar to Valentine’s Day customs and traditions countries such as the United States but it is also a time for many to show their appreciation for their friends.
Public Life
Valentine’s Day is not a public holiday in many countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. However, restaurants, hotels and shopping centers may be busy around this time of the year.
Background
The origins of Valentine’s Day are not clear but many sources believe that it stems from the story of St Valentine, a Roman priest who was martyred on or around February 14 in the year 270 CE. How he became the patron saint of lovers remains a mystery but one theory is that the church used the day of St Valentine’s martyrdom to Christianize the old Roman Lupercalia, a pagan festival held around the middle of February. The ancient ceremony included putting girls’ names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. Couples would then be paired off until the following year. The Christian church substituted saints’ names for girls’ names in hope that the participant would model his life after the saint whose name he drew. However, it was once again girls’ names that ended up in the box by the 16th century. Eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those whom one admired became the accepted way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. There was an increase in interest in Valentine’s Day, first in the United States and then in Canada, in the mid-19th century. Early versions of Valentine cards fashioned of satin and lace and ornamented with flowers, ribbons, and images of cupids or birds appeared in England in the 1880s.
The Legend of St. Valentine
The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
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Valentine’s Day: Time of the year to celebrate love
Valentine’s Day (or Saint Valentine’s Day) is observed on February 14 each year. Today Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, mostly in the West, although it remains a working day in all of them. The original “St. Valentine” was just a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saint named Valentinus. All the modern romantic connotations were added several centuries later by poets.
The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”).
Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
Origin
Valentine’s Day is an old tradition thought to have originated from a Roman Festival known as Lupercalia, according to History.com.
It was held on February 15 as a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture.
During the celebrations boys would draw names of girls from a box and the pair would be partners during the festival. These matches often led to marriage.
The festival survived the initial rise of Christianity but was outlawed at the end of the 5th century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St Valentine’s Day.
Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales writer, may have actually been behind Valentine’s Day. The medieval English poet took quite a few liberties with history. He’d drop his poetic characters into real-life historical events leaving readers wondering if that’s what really happened.
There is no actual record of Valentine’s Day before Chaucer’s poem in 1375.
It’s in Parliament of Foules that he links the tradition of courtly love to the St Valentine’s feast day – the tradition didn’t exist until after his poem.
The poem refers to February 14 as the day of birds coming together to find a mate. “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate,” he wrote and maybe invented Valentine’s Day as we now know it.
St Valentine
The St Valentine that inspired the holiday may have been more than one man. The saint officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church was a real person who died around AD 270. An account from 1400s describes Valentine as a priest who was beheaded by Emperor Claudius II for helping Christian couples wed.
The emperor had banned marriage as he thought single men made better soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he celebrated marriages in secret.
When the emperor found out he was thrown in jail and sentenced to death.There are similarities between the priest’s and bishop’s stories, which leads people to believe they are the same man.There’s so much confusion around St Valentine that the Church stopped veneration of him in 1969 – though he is still listed as an official saint.”Valentinus” is from the Latin word for worthy, strong or powerful, and was a popular name between the second and eighth centuries AD meaning there are several martyrs with the same name.
There are actually a dozen Valentines listed and there’s even a Pope Valentine. The actual day we celebrate is known as St Valentine of Rome to set him apart. Valentine did help marry couples in secret, which is arguably very romantic.
He is the patron saint of beekeepers and epilepsy among other things, like the plague, fainting and travelling. That doesn’t stop people calling on his help for those romantically involved. He’s now also patron of engaged couples and happy marriages.
Valentine cards
There is a story that Valentine sent to prison letter to a young girl he had fallen in love with and signed it “From your Valentine”. The idea of Valentine’s card originated from it.
Why February 14
Some believe that Valentine’s Day’s is celebrated mid-February to mark the anniversary of St Valentine’s death. Others maintain that the Christian church decided to place St Valentine’s feast day at this time of the year in an effort to ‘Christianize’ the pagan festival of Lupercalia. Roses have been the symbol of love since the early 1700s when Charles II of Sweden brought the Persian poetical art known as the “language of flowers” to Europe. Throughout the 18th century, ladies loved their floral dictionaries, which listed the symbolic meanings of different flowers, according to YourTango.com.
The red rose was believed to be the flower favored by Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, and has therefore come to represent that.
Cupid, the god of desire
Cupid is the god of desire, erotic love, affection and attraction. He is the son of Venus, goddess of love, and war god Mars. Cupid in Latin is ‘amor’, which means love. It wasn’t until the 18th century that Valentine’s Day took off in England. Lovers began to send trinkets, cards and flowers to their loved ones.
A huge amount of printed cards would get sold. In 1913 Hallmark Cards in Kansas City began mass producing specific Valentine’s Day cards.
Now about a billion cards are sold every year and it’s the second biggest card sending time of the whole year.
V-Day in India
The celebration of Valentine’s Day in India began to become popular following the economic liberalization. There have been protests against the celebrations by groups who consider it a western influence. Almost every year, law and order problems occur on 14 February in many cities in India due to protests.
Hindu right-wing parties and Muslim organizations have condemned Valentine’s Day as an unwelcome influence of western culture on India. Some also consider this a scam by corporations for their economic gain. Shiv Sena has called it an attack of the west on Indian culture that it is attracting youth for commercial gain. It has also called the festival shameless and contrary to Indian culture.
Another right-wing organization has said that if its activists catch couples in public on Valentine’s Day, they would be forcibly married. If the couples resist, then the girl with will be forced to tied rakhi to the boy, a ritual which would make them siblings.
Other political parties and religious groups who have been known to protest Valentine’s Day are, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Sri Ram Sena, Students Islamic Organisation of India, Hindu Munnani, Hindu Makkal Katchi, etc. Activists have been known to raid card shops and burn Valentine’s Day cards and flowers. Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have also been known to throw rotten tomatoes at couples.
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IALI celebrates Valentine Day sending message of Love, Friendship, Peace and Harmony
HYDE PARK, NY (TIP): India Association of Long Island (IALI) celebrated Valentine Day on Saturday Feb 10 at The Inn At New Hyde Park. This elegant event was attended by more than 200 very distinguished guests. They represented who is who of Indian community including many past and current presidents of various organizations like AAPI, AIA, Vegetarian Vision, RANA, Vaisakhi 5K, Nargis Dutt Foundation and IALI.
The Master of ceremony for the event was cultural chair Mrs. Amita Karwal who conducted the program very smoothly. The well-organized program started with Latin Salsa dance to captivate the attention of the audience. IALI President Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi delivered a message of love, friendship, peace and harmony – which she said is very much needed in today’s world. In her speech she also expressed her desire to start a Scholarship fund for Students based on Merit. She welcomed the guests and introduced her executive team to the audience. The names of the executive committee members, including their titles were displayed on two large screens. All members of the team received thunderous applause from the audience.
Traditional cake-cutting ceremony by Presidents and Founders President Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi invited the IALI past presidents, Dr. Avtar Singh Josen, Dr. Narendra Hadpawat, Dr. Jagdish Gupta, Mr. Gobind Munjal, Dr. Sukhvinder Ranu and Mr. Satnam Singh Parhar, along with the founders of IALI, Dr. Prabhakar Kale and Mr. Naveen Shah for traditional cake cutting ceremony.
After the introduction, the couples in the audience were invited to play a Valentine theme game, the winner was Dr. B. Gilja and his wife. IALI Committee contributed to dozens of door prizes which were won by Lucky guests in the raffle. There was photo booth to take pictures and create memories of this memorable day. The audience was served delicious food from both The Inn and Mint Restaurant. There was a lot of dancing to DJ Parminder’s music who played very good selection of Western and Indian dance numbers. Guests thoroughly enjoyed the venue, the ambience and the program. Overall, there was lot of love and appreciation in the air, in the true spirit of Valentine day. Vote of thanks was given by the Secretary Mrs. Shashi Malik.
IALI officers, executive council, committee chairs and co-chairs, with President Gunjan Rastogi 
IALI officers, executive council, committee chairs and co-chairs, with President Gunjan Rastogi The credit for the success of this event goes to IALI President Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi, IALI officers Mr. Lalit Aery, Vice President, Mrs. Shashi Malik, Secretary and Mr. Hargovind Gupta, Treasurer and all other executive committee members who worked tirelessly to make this event roaring success.
The President Mrs. Gunjan Rastogi announced IALI signature program “IndiaFest” is planned for Sunday, September 30, 2018, at Bar Beach Long Island and urged all to mark their calendars.